When you go see a band you’ve loved for years, you want to hear the old hits, right? Yeah, they have a new album out, but you don’t know those songs. You want to sing along to the stuff you’ve known since high school. So you sit politely through the new stuff, waiting to hear the riffs and lyrics that are burned into your soul. But then, you start listening to the new songs, and your head starts bobbing, and your toes start tapping, and it occurs to you: this new stuff is pretty good! They’ve still got it. It’s not the same, but it ain’t bad. Today we’re applying that same philosophy to a couple of Volvos.
Yesterday we looked at a couple of Buicks, also many years apart in age, but not far at all apart in mission. The newer Riviera won, and by quite a bit, but reading the comments I noticed that the enthusiasm gap was not nearly as wide as the vote gap was. Those of you who preferred the big Electra truly championed it, while a lot of the comments in favor of the Riviera were more along the lines of “it’s fine, I guess.”
That means one thing: the Electra fans are more my kind of people. I don’t care what you’re into, but for goodness’s sake, be into it. Proudly and unapologetically. I get that I give you a lot of crappy choices here, and sometimes a lukewarm “it’ll do” is the best I can hope for. But when some of you see a car like that big ol’ Electra and truly want it, it makes this whole endeavor more fun. And for what it’s worth, I pick the Electra too. Go big, or go home.
Volvo made its name here in the US by building sturdy, no-nonsense cars that put substance well over style. It never was a luxury automaker, not really, but it got caught up in the yuppie fervor of the 1980s and seen as a “premium” brand. When Ford took ownership, it did nothing to dispel that idea, and neither did current owner Geely. But I haven’t heard nearly as much falling from grace about Volvo’s reliability as I have about BMW or Mercedes, or even Volkswagen. Could it be that the newer Volvos carry on the traditions of old, despite the “luxury” overlay? Let’s look at an old Volvo alongside a much newer one and find out.
1989 Volvo 240 GL – $2,900
Engine/drivetrain: 2.3-liter OHC inline-4, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Bellingham, WA
Odometer reading: 275,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
I’m betting that when someone says “Volvo,” this is the car that comes to mind. The 240 series was in production for eighteen years, and in that time it became a legend. The newest one is now thirty-three years old, and still it’s considered a good, viable used car option by a lot of people. This 240 is being sold by a Volvo specialist shop that has serviced it for years and can vouch for it, as well as provide all the records. If there’s a more trustworthy source for a dependable used car, I don’t know what it is.
The 240 is powered by Volvo’s famous “red block” four-cylinder engine, in this case combined with an Aisin-Warner overdrive automatic transmission. It’s a stout combination that’s capable of racking up hundreds of thousands of miles. This one already has 275,000 on it, but it still runs and drives just fine.
Even though the 240 never really was the luxury car the yuppies thought it was, it’s pretty comfy. The ride is smooth, and the seats are really nice. This one has seen better days; the leather is torn in a few places, but with some seat covers it should be fine for a while. This is the best view we have of the interior, unfortunately, so there’s no way to know how the dashboard looks. Sometimes they’re pretty ratty in these cars.
I’m sure there’s a story behind the mismatched hood, probably involving a minor accident, but the rest of this car looks good outside. There’s no rust, and the paint is nice and shiny. If it were me, I’d paint the hood flat black, add some round driving lights to the front, and make it look intentional rather than half-assed collision repair.
2013 Volvo S60 T5 – $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.5-liter DOHC inline 5, six-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Chandler, AZ
Odometer reading: 177,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Volvo abandoned its rectilinear ways around 2000, and since then its cars have been just as sleek as anyone else’s. It still doesn’t feel quite right, but I can’t deny that later-model Volvos are handsome machines. This is a second-generation S60, up for sale in the suburbs of Phoenix. The ad is terse in the extreme, so we’ll have to go by the photos. Trouble is, there aren’t many of those, either. We’ll do our best.
In place of the old red block, this Volvo has a much more powerful engine, a turbocharged five-cylinder that drives the front wheels instead of the rear. It has a six-speed automatic with a manual shift option that nobody ever uses. All the seller says is that it runs and drives, so if you want to know more, you’ll have to go test-drive it, pop the hood, and poke around.
Volvo interiors still aren’t all that luxurious, but they are a hell of a lot more stylish than they used to be. This one is in good condition, and I really like the contrasting seat color and door inserts. The only other piece of information in the ad, and it’s an important thing to know in Arizona, is that the air conditioning works.
It’s in good condition outside too, with shiny black paint and a desert car’s lack of rust. It looks good in black, actually. I’m as tired of monochrome cars as the next guy, but all things being equal, I’d rather see black than white or silver.
So what do you think? Is the old brick still the way to go, or has its time passed? Is the sleek newcomer deserving of the same reputation as the old ones? Make your choice, and we’ll see which one comes out on top.
a 240 is glacially slow with a stick, the auto box struggles to climb hills. No thanks, I’ll take the slushbox that can get out of it’s own way.
The fact that the S60 is worth so much less than a comparable Civic says all you need to know about it.
I love me a 240 – but not THAT 240 and definitely not at $1K and 100K miles more than the S60
I’ll take the S60 with the undamaged, matching body panels and un-shredded seats.
The old 240 is probably a fair price for a rust-free west coast car maintained by a Volvo specialty shop
Just too bad today’s examples weren’t wagons 😛
Either one would work for me.
However you supposed the different color hood speaks to a minor accident that just damaged the hood. However what about a major accident that damaged everything but the hood? LOL
I doubt it was a serious accident- Probably a light tap to the leading edge of the hood on the driver’s side near the headlight.
That said, the light & grill are pushed in, and the body-coloured sheet metal under the light are wrinkled. The bumper trims are also missing- they pop off when the supporting metal is bent. The damage isn’t ‘severe’, but it is definitely more extensive than just the hood, and a repair at a body shop would definitely have totalled the car.
To fix the car properly, you would need to source and install an entire new radiator support. https://www.ebay.com/itm/157285475294
Very doable for a motivated buyer, but probably not going to happen on an automatic sedan with a worn interior. It’s too bad because the rest of the exterior looks really good.
I’ve gotta go with the 240, but hopefully that price is negotiable.
240, I could use a winter beater and is closer. Plus, a 240 is a rite of passage for enthusiasts who are cheap and like working on their cars. The S60 seems suspiciously cheap.
This. There’s something wrong with that S60. Has to be.
I’ve had older versions of both of these. Since I still have the beater ’84 wagon with a manual don’t really want a beater ’89 sedan with an auto. The S60 still has certain issues I don’t love, 40′ turning circles, poor outward visibility, and its shockingly small in the inside, though this has more rear legroom than my ’06 had. Also at least 6 speed auto, the early ones were just a 5 speed, which I DID slapshift on the regular with no issues. I havent ridden in one of this gen but the ’06 was a lovely place to sit, I’d have one again. Repairs you don’t want to or can’t do yourself can be BMW money but overall its more reliable.
Old Volvo go BRR.
I want a 240. And I don’t know if the price is right, but I just don’t want that one. It’d be a winner if it were a wagon. I feel I could find one I’d like better maybe for a little bit more dosh. The S60 reluctantly.
I already have a 2016 S60, so it’s the 240 for me.
While I don’t know for sure about the 2013, the ’16 has no dipstick and the oil level feature in the car is a lie, shows full if above a trip point and low if below the trip point. No gradient to indicate an actual level. Also, the electronic e-brake that David spoke so fondly of makes changing the rear pads harder. You need a specific torx bit (extra long, ~3-4 inches) and a drill/power screwdriver to back the pistons out to make room for the new pads. Or you can just buy the $1500 maintenance s/w that allows you to put the brakes in service mode. Would have been so easy to include this in the on-board infotainment system. Generally speaking, Volvo is not aiming for the DIY crowd these days.
Had to vote for the s60. It looks pretty nice and for $2k, it would be a pleasant way to rack up some miles.
I respect that 240 and it brings me back to elementary school. But the past is the past and I’m not someone who needs to relive it. Plus, even for a Volvo that is getting into a lot of miles and the interior is beat. I wouldn’t drive a car around without the hood being dealt with and the 240 is $900 more than that relatively clean s60.
The S60 is a much nicer car than both my 28 year old BMW and my 400k mile truck. Makes me wonder why I don’t just give up on my old hoopties and buy a newer hooptie.
Those S60s seem fine,and I know they also can handle some miles,but I just don’t want one. The 240 on the other hand looks pretty decent except for the seats,I would probably replace them with regular velour seats anyway so I don’t really care.
If the 240 was a little nicer, I’d go for it – S60 FTW today though.
Much better choices today! I’m going with the Volvo.
That’s a good choice. I almost voted Volvo myself.
Volvo or no, with this kind of mileage you’re going to be wrenching on it eventually. I had two 240s and they were quite easy to fix on the rare occasions they needed repair. If that car was on the other side of the continent, I would buy it.
The S60 looks so much nicer I kinda want to vote for it, but despite the looks I don’t think it’s got as much life left in it as the 240, so I voted for that. Redblock is legendary for a reason.
240!
I’d rather be in the S60, but because of the reliability I’ll go 240. Those early P3 T5 S60s are some of the worst of modern Volvo- there’s a reason they’re cheap. Piston ring issues, timing chain issues… no thanks.
that one has a timing belt. But it’ll likely need one soon enough or bye engine
We had a S60 of this era (facelifted 2014) and it was an excellent car. I wouldn’t trust one going for $2k, something has to be terribly wrong with it.
having had both a 89 245 m47 and a 06 v50 T5 m66, the 240 is a better deal… even though this one is overpriced. ford-era volvos are nicer to be in, but far worse as far as serviceability and even driving dynamics.. being in AZ also means this spent a lot of time very very hot, which tends to warp T5 heads. i positively hated working on my v50… but i still own my 245.
Back in 2012 one of my company’s newly-appointed directors bought himself a nearly identical S60 to the one above – black with caramel interior. I loved the interior, but never much cared for the droopy, melty exterior design. The car was also horribly unreliable and spent probably more time at the dealer than in his garage – for $2000 I bet the one above has all the electrical issues my coworker’s had an more. Conversely, I learned to drive on a green 242, so the 240 gets my vote despite the age and miles.
I’ll go with the 240 just looks cooler and going to most likely be much simpler to work on vs the newer Ford Volvo.
I voted for the 240, mostly for nostalgia reasons.
My family had a beige 240 for a very long time. My parents bought it when I was four years old. I remember when my dad drove it home from the dealer – I thought it was ugly at the time (I wasn’t necessarily wrong), but it was a big upgrade over the cheap cars my parents drove before that. It was their ‘ first “nice” car. I spent many years riding around in that thing.
I distinctly remember the sound it made when it started. I distinctly remember how this car would stall literally every time it was put into reverse after a cold start (for years my bedroom was above the garage, so that car starting and stalling when my dad left for work was like an alarm clock). I very distinctly remember the crank sunroof… which my brother broke within a few days of my parents buying the car (before a rainstorm, because of course). I have a lot of other random memories as well, but those were the first that came to mind.
My dad drove that 240 over a decade before it got passed around to my brother and them on to me. Unfortunately, neither my dad nor my brother were known for treating cars well, so it was rough up by the time I got it. As a result I kinda hated it. I think the car could sense my disdain because, after 12+ years and 180k+ reliable miles, it broke several times within the span of a month. I quickly gave up on that car and bought a $900 malaise era Cadillac… because teenagers make good decisions.
The 240 then went on to be the first car for a few of my cousins before going to an uncle who drove it for over a decade longer (it was reliable for all of them, of course). The odometer broke well north of 300k, but it kept going until rust the rust got too bad. Having been in multiple accidents (again, first car for several new drivers) didn’t help either.
I wasn’t overly fond of the car for some reason, but grew to appreciate it once it was gone. I wouldn’t mind owning another 240 – I would likely buy this car if it weren’t 3,000 miles away.
I have nothing against the S60, though. That seems like a very nice car for the money. But this isn’t a fair fight today, at least as far as I am concerned.
(sorry for the lengthy rambling – it is weird how a $2900 used car can trigger so many memories)
No need to apologize; I love reading the trips down memory lane.